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 SUGGESTIONS 
 
 ON 
 
 PRISON DISCIPLINE 
 
 FEMALE EDUCATION 
 
 IN INDIA, 
 
 BY 
 
 AUTHOR OF ‘OUR CONVICTS,” &c., &e, 
 
 LONDON: 
 LONGMANS & Co.; PATERNOSTER ROW. 
 
 BRISTOL: 
 ISAAC ARROWSMITH, PRINTER, 11 QUAY STREET, 
 
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PREFACE. 
 
 THE object of my visit to India was to shew friendly 
 sympathy with the native inhabitants of that great country, 
 with which we are so intimately connected ;—I wished like- 
 wise, if possible, to aid them in the work of female education, 
 which is now regarded by the most enlightened of both 
 sexes as a subject of paramount importance. 
 
 I desired also to obtain some relaxation, through change 
 of thought and scene, after twenty-four years of almost 
 unremitting labour. 
 
 On the day following my arrival in Bombay, however, the 
 receipt of the following official letters conferred on me a 
 privilege, which left to me no doubt as to my duty to avail 
 myself of the opportunity so kindly given. I therefore 
 made it my particular object in every place I visited, to 
 study those institutions which were most connected with 
 my previous work; and I communicated the result of my 
 observations, in a report to his Excellency, the Governor of 
 Bombay Presidency. This was acknowledged in the third 
 official document following. 
 
4 
 
 Having found reason to make similar observations in the 
 other Presidencies, and perceiving that my views were quite 
 in harmony with those of all experienced and influential 
 persons with whom I had the opportunity of conferring, I 
 laid them before his Excellency, the Viceroy of India, in the 
 following letter, which was most courteously received by 
 him. 
 
 As the cdoperation of England will be essential in many 
 ways to the effective carrying out of the measures here 
 proposed, the letter is now presented to the public. 
 
 BRISTOL, April 24th, 1867. 
 
OFFICIAL LETTERS 
 FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF BOMBAY. 
 
 No. 531 of 1866. 
 
 EpucaTIonaL DEPARTMENT. 
 
 From C. Gonnz, Esquire, 
 
 . Secretary to Government, Bombay. 
 
 To Sir ALEXANDER Grant, Bart., 
 
 Director of Public Instruction. 
 SIR, 
 His Excellency the Governor is informed that Miss 
 
 Mary Carrenter is likely to arrive by the mail steamer now 
 expected, and that she hopes to give a portion of her time in 
 India to the same questions connected with education generally, 
 with youthful and other Reformatories, and with convict dis- 
 cipline, to which she has devoted so much time and attention in 
 England. 
 
 2.—On questions connected with these and other cognate 
 subjects, I am desired to state, Miss CaRPENTER’S opinion has, 
 for many years past, been sought and listened to by legislators 
 and administrators of all shades of political opinion in England ; 
 and His Excellency in Council looks forward to her visit to 
 Bombay -as likely to be of great public benefit, by aiding in the 
 solution of many problems with regard to which much has yet 
 to be learnt in India from the results of late European inquiry 
 and discussion. 
 
 3.—I am accordingly instructed to request that you will be 
 good enough to furnish Miss Carpunrer with any statistical or 
 other information on subjects connected with her inquiries which 
 your records may supply, and afford her every facility to visit 
 and inspect the institutions under your control. 
 
 I have the honor to be, 
 Sir, . 
 Your most obedient servant, 
 (Signed) J. Kine, 
 For Secretary to Government. 
 Bombay Castle, 26th September, 1866. 
 The same to— 
 The Inspector-General of Prisons—The Inspector-General of 
 Medical Department—(For communication to all officers in charge 
 of Lunatic Asylums.) 
 
(amp 
 
 No. 544 of 1866. 
 
 From C. Gonnz, Esquire, 
 Secretary to Government, Bombay. 
 To Miss Mary Carpenter, Bombay. 
 
 EpucationAL DEPARTMENT. 
 Dated 26th September, 1866. 
 Mapaq, 
 
 I am directed by His Excellency the Governor 
 in Council to enclose, for your information, a copy of the instruc- 
 tions which have been given to the Heads of Departments* 
 under this Government, with the view of aiding the objects of 
 your visit to Western India. 
 
 I have the honor to be, 
 Madam, 
 Your most obedient servant, 
 J. Kine, 
 Acting Under-Secretary to Government. 
 Bombay Castle, 
 26th September, 1866. 
 
 * All Departments of the Government Secretariat—The Director of 
 Public Instruction—The Inspector-General of Hospitals and officers in 
 charge of Lunatic Asylums—The Inspector-General of Prisons. 
 
No. 687 of 1866. 
 
 From C. Gonnz, Esquire, 
 
 Secretary to Government, Bombay. 
 To Miss Mary Carpenter, Poonah. 
 
 EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT. 
 
 Dated 15th December, 1866. 
 
 Mapam, 
 * 1, Female ‘ 
 Schools. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt 
 2, Government of your letter dated October last, enclosing, for the con- 
 Schools. : x ; sere 
 sideration of Government, six memoranda containing an 
 
 3, Reformatory 
 
 and Indus- expression of your views on the subjects noted in the 
 trial Schools. 2 ; 
 
 4, Gaols. margin.” 
 
 5. Convict Pri- 2.—In reply, I am desired to convey to you the best 
 
 : ae r thanks of His Excellency in Council for these valuable 
 . Lunatic 
 
 Asylums. papers, and to assure you that they shall have the most 
 careful attention of Government. 
 
 3.—I am also desired to state that the Honorable the 
 Governor in Council hopes to have the pleasure of here- 
 after communicating to you the result of the action taken 
 on them. 
 
 T have the honor to be, 
 Madam, 
 Your most obedient servant, 
 C. GonneE, 
 Secretary to Government, 
 
 Bombay Castle, 
 15th December, 1866: 
 
SUGGESTIONS, 
 
 S&C. 
 
To rue Ricur Hon. THE GovERNOR GENERAL 
 
 or Inp1a in Councin, &e., &e., &e. 
 
 Calcutta, December 12th, 1866. 
 Sir, 
 
 In-compliance with your request to be informed 
 of the result of my observations while in this country, I beg 
 respectfully to offer you the accompanying remarks. I should 
 hesitate to submit them to you after so short a residence in India 
 had I not previously obtained considerable experience, both in 
 female education and convict treatment, which enabled me more 
 readily to see the bearing of the different subjects to which 
 my attention has been directed. I am happy to be able to 
 state that the views which I am about to lay before you are 
 in full accordance with those of practical and enlightened 
 persons with whom I have been fortunate in coming in contact in 
 every department. 
 
 I remain, 
 Siz, 
 Respectfully yours, 
 Mary CARPENTER. 
 
FEMALE EDUCATION. 
 
 This was the special object of my visit to India. I was fully 
 aware before I left England of the little progress which had 
 been made in the education of the females of this country, and 
 of the difficulties which stand in its way. I was also aware that 
 a great change is taking place in the views of Hindu gentlemen 
 on this subject, and that a strong desire exists in the minds of” 
 the most enlightened among them that the future wives and 
 mothers of their nation should be enabled by sound education 
 better to fulfil the duties of their important spheres. I came 
 here without any preconceived theories, but desirous of learning 
 the wants of the natives, and of ascertaining how these can be 
 supplied. 
 
 The first place I visited was Ahmedabad in Guzerat; this 
 place is considerably advanced in the superior position of women, 
 and in appreciation of the importance of female education. 
 Female schools have been established there for above fifteen 
 years, and the results of these are evident in the families of 
 those who attend them. The views I formed from observation 
 of one of the best of these schools have been confirmed by 
 subsequent visits to Surat, Bombay, Poona, Madras and Calcutta, 
 and have been in harmony with those of enlightened native 
 gentlemen, as well as ladies, with whom I have conversed. 
 
 The grand obstacle to the improvement of female schools, 
 and to the extension of them, ¢s the universal want: of female 
 teachers. Nowhere, except in Mission Schools, are any trained 
 female teachers to be found, and even in them the supply created 
 by the training of teachers in the Institutions themselves is not 
 Sufficient to meet the demand. The girls’ schools are taught 
 entirely by male teachers! This has long been felt to be a great 
 
18 
 
 evil by the Inspectors, the intelligent native gentlemen, and the 
 mothers of the children, but there has been no possibility in the 
 existing state of things of remedying the evil. - 
 
 The results of such a system are evident. Not only are the 
 little girls withdrawn from school earlier than they otherwise 
 would be, but they are entirely without that proper influence 
 on their manners and character which a female teacher alone 
 can give. The training to habits of neatness and order, and 
 instruction in needlework, which are so essential to a woman in 
 whatever position in life she may be placed, are necessarily 
 neglected; and the bulk of the children, for whom the instruction 
 and entertaining system of infant training adopted in England 
 would be so valuable, sit listless under lessons which are not 
 adapted to their childish comprehension. I should, indeed, from 
 observation of these schools only, have been led to doubt whether 
 Hindu girls were capable of the same development as English 
 girls ;—but the very different condition of the girls in all the 
 Mission Boarding Schools, which were under female teachers, 
 fully convinced me that Hindu girls wanted only proper instruc- 
 tion to make them in every way equal, and in some respects 
 superior, to those of our own country. 
 
 The present condition of female education in India can be 
 improved solely by the introduction of female teachers, and these 
 can be supplied only by the establishment of a Female Normal 
 Training School. 
 
 The Government of India has long adopted this course to 
 supply male teachers to boys’ schools. The boys’ schools are 
 provided with good and efficient teachers, and are producing 
 excellent results. If the same course is pursued for the girls’ 
 schools, there can be no doubt that similar results will follow 
 after the system has had time to work. Isolated efforts have 
 been made in some parts of. Bengal to supply teachers by the 
 establishment of Normal Schools, but these only prove the 
 necessity of a more complete system. 
 
 Feeling assured that the Government has hitherto held back 
 
i4 
 
 from taking this cotrse, not through any apathy respecting 
 female education, but from a desire to be assured that the want 
 is actually felt by enlightened natives, before taking any initia- 
 tory steps in the matter I have, in the Madras and Bombay 
 Presidencies, ascertained that enlightened native gentlemen are 
 most anxious for the establishment of such schools, as they have 
 testified to me in writing; in Ahmedabad and Madras steps have 
 been already taken by them in memorializing their respective 
 Governments. In Calcutta I have ascertained that many respect- 
 able persons are desirous of the establishment of such schools, 
 and have memorialized Government on the subject, that the 
 want of them is very strongly felt also in many important places 
 in the mofussil. 
 
 I am well aware that the difficulties to be encountered in 
 establishing a Training School for Female Teachers are much 
 greater than those attending Male Normal Training Schools. 
 The ignorance of Hindu women of a suitable age is one great 
 impediment, and the difficulty of finding any such, except 
 widows, who would be able and willing to train for teachers is 
 another. I have fully considered these and many other obstacles, 
 and having done this, and consulted persons of considerable ex- 
 perience in different parts of the country, I am persuaded that 
 they may be surmounted. 
 
 The following are suggestions which I would beg to offer as 
 to the general features of such a school as I desire to see estab- 
 lished. It will, of course, be clearly understood that in these 
 proposed Institutions the Government principles of non-inter- 
 ference in religious matters is to be strictly adhered to. “While 
 the personal religious liberty of every inmate of the Institution 
 is to be respected, no one, while in it,is to attempt any religious 
 proselytism. Different localities will have different requirements 
 and adaptation to special circumstances. It will, therefore, be 
 better in every case to commence on a small scale, and with as 
 much attention to economy as is consistent with the proper 
 development of the Institution. 
 
15 
 
 SUGGESTIONS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A FEMALE 
 
 Normat TRAmninc ScHOooL. 
 
 First.—A. house should be procured, adapted to furnish a 
 comfortable residence for about a dozen Christian students, with 
 a Lady Superintendent. Arrangements should be made for 
 the separate boarding of non-Christian native students, when 
 required. Arrangements for necessary furniture, board and 
 attendance, to be made by the Inspector of Schools. 
 
 Secondly.—A Lady Superintendent, who should be responsible 
 to Government for the entire management of the Institution, 
 should be obtained from England. In each case the passage 
 _money to be paid under certain conditions. 
 
 Thirdly.—Persons who wish to become students in training 
 must apply to the Inspector, and must satisfy him that it is their 
 intention to study and faithfully to prepare to be teachers. They 
 will receive board and instruction while in the Institution. All 
 English students must learn the vernacular, and all native 
 students English. 
 
 Fourthly.—Any girls’ schools existing in the neighbourhood 
 may be employed for the training of teachers, and the student 
 may thus be exercising a beneficial influence in the schools now 
 taught by men, before they are prepared to take charge of 
 schools themselves. 
 
 I have not here entered into details, wishing not to trouble 
 you with more than the general plan; I have, however, carefully 
 considered everything, and shall be most happy to enter into 
 further particulars should any be desired. 
 
16 
 
 ReFoRMATORY Scroots AND CERTIFIED InpusrRIAL Scnoozs. 
 
 Schools of these two kinds have now been established for 
 many years in England, and the success with which ee are 
 attended is generally acknowledged. 
 
 They are founded on the principle that gaols are not adapted 
 to youthful criminals, who ought rather to receive moral and 
 industrial training. 
 
 There appears a very great need of the establishment of 
 similar schools in India; Reformatory Schools for older and 
 hardened offenders who have been in prison ; Industrial Schools 
 for younger children and juvenile vagrants who are likely to fall 
 into crime. 
 
 Many of both these classes may be found in the prisons of 
 India, or are wandering over the country. They are certain to 
 perpetuate a criminal class, unless timely steps are taken to 
 reclaim them. Many of these boys have been several times in 
 prison, and are already desperate characters, contaminating all 
 who come within their sphere. 
 
 The Reformatory and Industrial Schools in England are 
 established by private benevolence, and are supported by pay- 
 ments made by the Treasury to the Managers, towards the 
 maintenance of each offender, payments from county rates by 
 special agreement, and voluntary contributions. A consolidated 
 Act for each class of schools was passed last session. 
 
 It is probable that India would require a somewhat different 
 system for local reasons, and that here the initiative must be 
 taken by the Government. At the same time it is probable that 
 if encouragement is now given by the Government, by the passing 
 of a law authorising and partly providing fer such schools, 
 municipalities may be able to take their share of the needful 
 
17 
 
 expenditure and management. A general feeling appears to 
 prevail among both European and native gentlemen who are in 
 any way connected with the criminal classes as to the importance 
 of such establishments in India. They need not, for many 
 reasons, be as costly in India as in England, and it is 
 probable that the labour of the boys may be made nearly to 
 cover the expense of their maintenance. 
 
 I would therefore respectfully but strongly urge on the Legis- 
 lature the importance of taking steps as soon as possible to 
 establish such schools. | 
 
 Will you permit me to forward herewith my ‘ Suggestions 
 on the management of Reformatories and Certified Industrial 
 Schools,” which contain an account of the system generally 
 adopted in England. 
 
18 
 
 FEMALE PRISONERS, 
 
 In all the gaols which I have visited, except in Calcutta, the 
 female prisoners occupied a portion of the ordinary gaol. This 
 was usually the worst portion of the place, and there was no 
 provision for separation either by night or by day. They were 
 under the care of male warders. The work provided for them was 
 of a nature not to improve them, and no instruction was given 
 them. In one gaol I saw five murderesses locked up together! No 
 lady visitors ever go near them; indeed I was informed in one case 
 that the habits of the prisoners are so filthy that it would be impossible 
 Jor ladies to approach them and sit down among them. 
 
 It may easily be imagined what is the result of this. Not 
 only is it impossible for any improvement to take place, but the 
 women become deteriorated. In one gaol I was informed that 
 the good dietary and the freedom from strict discipline so com- 
 pletely removed all dread of imprisonment, that the women 
 repeatedly returned after discharge. 
 
 It is evident that this is an enormous evil. 
 
 I would beg respectfully to urge, 
 
 first.—That all the female prisoners should be in separate 
 cells, unless working under suitable supervision. 
 
 Secondly.—That female warders only should have charge of 
 the prisoners. It is probable that the chiet of these at least 
 must be a European, to secure proper discipline. 
 
 Thirdly.—That the work should be of a kind to fit the women 
 to earn their livelihood on their discharge. 
 
 fourthly.—That regular instruction should be provided for 
 them. 
 
 Lifthly.—That European ladies should be invited to visit 
 them, as in England, with a view to impart to them a kind and 
 good influence, 
 
19 
 
 ComMon GAOLS. - 
 
 In all the gaols I visited great attention appeared to be paid 
 to the industrial work, which, in many cases, was admirably 
 carried on; the prisoners were thus being prepared to procure 
 an honest livelihood for themselves on their discharge, and 
 considerable proceeds were realized towards their expenses. A 
 salutary influence appeared to be exercised over the prisoners, 
 who in general were working with diligence and good-will, under 
 proper superintendence. 
 
 The good effects which might be anticipated from this system 
 were however greatly diminished by the want of separate cells. 
 It is evident that when for twelve hours out of twenty-four men 
 are locked up in cells without light, sometimes three or four 
 together, sometimes even from forty to fifty, nothing but the worst 
 results can be expected. It is quite impossible that even common 
 order or propriety can be preserved. Immoral communication 
 must neutralize any good influence which the prisoners may have 
 received during the day. The greatest contamination must be 
 the result of such an arrangement, and at the same time the 
 deterrent effect of punishment is much lost, as solitude is greatly 
 dreaded by this class of prisoners. Not only are the moral 
 effects of the existing system very injurious, but also the 
 physical. Zhe various prison reports frequently speak of a dreadful 
 mortality decimating the gaols, or even carrying off one-fourth of the 
 whole number of prisoners. This must be chiefly due to the sleep- 
 ing arrangements, which bring persons of poor or even of bad 
 constitutions into injurious proximity with each other. Over- 
 crowding the gaols appears to be the usual cause of any great 
 mortality, as in other respects sanitary arrangements are care- 
 fully attended to in other gaols I visited. 
 
 The construction of separate sleeping cells in all the gaols 
 would of course involve considerable expense, but this would be 
 in most cases greatly lessened by employiug the labour of the 
 
20 
 
 prisoners. In many of the gaols which I visited a sufficient 
 number of cells could be erected without any other cost but that 
 of material. Still, whatever may be the outlay needed, it is 
 evident that it should not be any impediment in the way of 
 doing what is so important both for the moral and the physical 
 welfare of the prisoners. 
 
 The want of any arrangements for securing instruction to the 
 prisoners is also a great evil. It is now an acknowledged prin- 
 ciple in the treatment of prisoners that every means practicable 
 should be afforded them of leaving the gaol better members 
 of society than when they entered it; instruction is evidently 
 a most important means of securing this, especially in the case of 
 these prisoners. We cannot give them religious instruction, but 
 we can give them that teaching and that moral influence which 
 may enable them both to know and to do their duty. In no 
 gaols that I visited was there any place provided for instruction, 
 nor was there any schoolmaster on the staff: The gaol regu- 
 lations did not make any provisions for these, or for any time 
 when instruction could be given to the prisoners. The teaching 
 given in Alipore Gaol cannot be regarded as an exception, 
 because this is not universal, and is chiefly with a view to enable 
 the prisoners to do such work as requires a knowledge of 
 reading and writing. 
 
 I would beg respectfully to suggest that regular instruction 
 should be made an essential part of the prison discipline of 
 every gaol. To effect this, the hours of labour need not be 
 shortened, as three hours could advantageously be deducted from 
 those spent in sleep ; a proper school-room and apparatus would 
 require to be provided for, and especially a suitable number 
 of teachers. 
 
 The removal of the long sentenced prisoners from the 
 common gaols, which is, I am informed, under contemplation, 
 will doubtless facilitate the adoption of both of these changes, 
 and in many ways be a considerable advantage, 
 
21 
 
 CentraLt Gaots or Convict Prisons. 
 
 The erection of these for long sentenced prisoners will be a 
 very important measure, and will not only remove a oreat 
 difficulty which now exists in the management of the common 
 gaols, but will also afford an opportunity of carrying out the 
 admirable system of convict treatment which proved so successful 
 in Ireland under the management of Sir Watrer Crorron. 
 The principles of this system are now being universally accepted 
 by distinguished persons in every part of the world who have 
 studied the subject, as well as by the Royal Commission on 
 Prison Discipline in 1863. For a full statement of those prin- 
 ciples, and of their practical application, I beg to refer to the 
 second volume of my work entitled—‘‘ Our Convicts.” 
 
 India appears in many ways to present peculiar facilities for 
 carrying out this system, and the remarkable results of the 
 industrial system developed in Alipore Gaol prove that it might 
 be done at comparatively little expense. The success with 
 which the license system is carried out in Poona by the Acting 
 Superintendent proves that, under careful management, prisoners 
 trained under a good system may be easily absorbed into society 
 as self-supporting and honest members of it. In the erection of 
 the central gaols, therefore (convict prisons as they are termed 
 in England), it appears particularly important that regard should 
 be had to adapting them to develop this system. It is especially 
 necessary that there should be separate sleeping cells for all the 
 prisoners, except for those who have arrived at the third or 
 intermediate stages, which is the final preparation for discharge. 
 
 RAADAADP LLL LLP LILI IFILL ILL 
 
 ISAAC ARROWSMITH, PRINTER, QUAY STREET, BRISTOL. 
 
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